Elderly woman mauled to death by leopard in Gir-Somnath district

Ahmedabad: A 75-year-old woman was mauled to death by a leopard at a village in Gir-Somnath district of Gujarat early on Thursday, a forest official said.

The deceased, Jahuben Khasiya, was attacked by the feline when she was sleeping outside her house in Ebhalvad village in the early hours, chief conservator of forests (CCF), Junagadh wildlife circle, D T Vasavada, said.

"The leopard dragged her into the bushes and killed her. Her body was found by villagers in the morning," he said.

Deputy Conservator of Forest, Gir-West division, Dheeraj Mittal, said that following the incident, forest officials set up five cages in and around the village to capture the leopard.

Incidents of leopards attacking villagers living near the Gir forest have been regularly happening in Gir-West and Gir-East divisions.

On August 10, an eight-year-old girl was injured by a leopard at a village, which falls under the Gir-East division. On the same day, another girl aged 10 years was injured in a similar attack in another village of Gir-East division.

On August 7, a 38-year-old woman had suffered injuries after being attacked by a leopard at a village in the same division.